So we're about a month away from the playoffs in hockey. Seems so odd to be starting in May, now doesn't it. Any way, to give you all a extra juice in anticipation of what the spring action, here are some playoff matchups that make the NHL playoffs worth it!
Habs VS Bruins
This one is as old as your grandparents, and while Montreal may have the all time lead in the playoffs head to head, there’s no denying the history and electricity. And the last time they played (2011) it was a gem of a 7 gamer that helped propel the Cubs to the Stanley Cup. Ask any fan about 2011, and they’ll tell you that series, not the finals against the Canucks, was the sweetest! Of course, Bruins fans also will never forget 1971 (Who is that tall guy in goal, Dry-something?) or 1979, (TOO MANY MEN ON THE ICE!)
Rangers VS Devils
This one was as recent as last year, and the Devils pulled off an upset, on their way to the finals. Again, this one was probably the sweetest for New Jersey fans. Kinda wiped away the feeling of Avery right in front of Brodeur!
Senators VS Leafs
The Sens have waited 9 years so far for another crack at the Leafs. With the team they have now, I gotta think they can win for sure. See, Ottawa wants to get back to being contenders, and to do that, you got beat your rivals. Plus, can you imagine, Sens fans, saying, “We might not be the best in the NHL playoffs, but we are the best in Ontario in the playoffs, now that the Leafs finally made it.” You get the idea! Ask a Sens fan, would you want to beat the Leafs in exchange for getting swept in the next round? Oh, yes!
Jets VS anyone!
Oh it doesn’t matter, just as long as the Jets make it, right?
Habs VS Nordiques
I have it from several insiders (That’s my April fools for you!) But, should the day come when Quebec finally gets the team, this one is a natural. A rematch of the Battle Of Quebec! Habs fans take notice too, when they last won in ’93, which team A) Did you beat in the first round? B) Actually WON an OT game against you?
Flyers VS Penguins
Probably the best playoff series last year. That one simply had it all. And with the history between these two teams. Who will ever forget the 5 OT game back in 2000? There is just something about these two teams hatred for each other that makes this a playoff must, every year!
Blackhawks VS Canucks
Again with the history (will never forget Roger Neilson’s white towel) and with all the classics (Burrows OT winner) and the feeling of, “If we get by them, we got a shot at going all the way”, this one too has the feelings of, every year for sure! This year, with the Schneider / Luongo story line involved, you might not know whose in goal (or Who’s On First) until the very last minute.
Red Wings VS Avalanche
Ohhhhh…the wars these two teams had in the 90s and early 00s. Even meaningless regular season games between these two teams weren’t meaningless! And the two teams really fed off each other, as they won 5 Stanley Cups combined from 1996 to 2002. It was something. But something needs to be done to re-ignite the old flames from this one! Maybe Patrick Roy and Mike Vernon can become the coach of each team, and then brawl during the handshakes! Can you imagine that?
Leave the last from Dino Ciccarelli, after the 1996 series, on Claude Lemieux: "I can't believe I shook the guy's frigging hand. That just pisses me right off."
Oilers VS Flames
Flames fans won’t forget Esa Tikkanen’s solo dash that ended the Flames hopes in 1991, right there in Calgary. That is, the night after Theo Fleury won the Stanley Cup for the Flames (or acted like he did. That was only game 6, alas). Then you have Smith’s (actually Perry Berezan’s) goal that gave Calgary the Series in ’86, Gretzky’s short-handed OT marker in ’88. And let's not forget about the 1984 7 game set, very underrated!
References
Cole, Stephen. Slapshots: The Best And Worst Of 100 Years Of Hockey. Penguin, 1993. Print.
Diamond,
Dan. Total Stanley Cup: An Official
Publication Of The National Hockey League. Toronto: Published in Canada by
Total Sports Canada, 2000. Print.
Habs VS Bruins
This one is as old as your grandparents, and while Montreal may have the all time lead in the playoffs head to head, there’s no denying the history and electricity. And the last time they played (2011) it was a gem of a 7 gamer that helped propel the Cubs to the Stanley Cup. Ask any fan about 2011, and they’ll tell you that series, not the finals against the Canucks, was the sweetest! Of course, Bruins fans also will never forget 1971 (Who is that tall guy in goal, Dry-something?) or 1979, (TOO MANY MEN ON THE ICE!)
Rangers VS Devils
This one was as recent as last year, and the Devils pulled off an upset, on their way to the finals. Again, this one was probably the sweetest for New Jersey fans. Kinda wiped away the feeling of Avery right in front of Brodeur!
Senators VS Leafs
The Sens have waited 9 years so far for another crack at the Leafs. With the team they have now, I gotta think they can win for sure. See, Ottawa wants to get back to being contenders, and to do that, you got beat your rivals. Plus, can you imagine, Sens fans, saying, “We might not be the best in the NHL playoffs, but we are the best in Ontario in the playoffs, now that the Leafs finally made it.” You get the idea! Ask a Sens fan, would you want to beat the Leafs in exchange for getting swept in the next round? Oh, yes!
Jets VS anyone!
Oh it doesn’t matter, just as long as the Jets make it, right?
Habs VS Nordiques
I have it from several insiders (That’s my April fools for you!) But, should the day come when Quebec finally gets the team, this one is a natural. A rematch of the Battle Of Quebec! Habs fans take notice too, when they last won in ’93, which team A) Did you beat in the first round? B) Actually WON an OT game against you?
Flyers VS Penguins
Probably the best playoff series last year. That one simply had it all. And with the history between these two teams. Who will ever forget the 5 OT game back in 2000? There is just something about these two teams hatred for each other that makes this a playoff must, every year!
Blackhawks VS Canucks
Again with the history (will never forget Roger Neilson’s white towel) and with all the classics (Burrows OT winner) and the feeling of, “If we get by them, we got a shot at going all the way”, this one too has the feelings of, every year for sure! This year, with the Schneider / Luongo story line involved, you might not know whose in goal (or Who’s On First) until the very last minute.
Red Wings VS Avalanche
Ohhhhh…the wars these two teams had in the 90s and early 00s. Even meaningless regular season games between these two teams weren’t meaningless! And the two teams really fed off each other, as they won 5 Stanley Cups combined from 1996 to 2002. It was something. But something needs to be done to re-ignite the old flames from this one! Maybe Patrick Roy and Mike Vernon can become the coach of each team, and then brawl during the handshakes! Can you imagine that?
Leave the last from Dino Ciccarelli, after the 1996 series, on Claude Lemieux: "I can't believe I shook the guy's frigging hand. That just pisses me right off."
Oilers VS Flames
Flames fans won’t forget Esa Tikkanen’s solo dash that ended the Flames hopes in 1991, right there in Calgary. That is, the night after Theo Fleury won the Stanley Cup for the Flames (or acted like he did. That was only game 6, alas). Then you have Smith’s (actually Perry Berezan’s) goal that gave Calgary the Series in ’86, Gretzky’s short-handed OT marker in ’88. And let's not forget about the 1984 7 game set, very underrated!
References
Cole, Stephen. Slapshots: The Best And Worst Of 100 Years Of Hockey. Penguin, 1993. Print.
Diamond,
Dan. Total NHL. Toronto: Dan Diamond
And Associates, 2003. Print.
Hughes,
Morgan, Fischler Stan, Fischler Shirley, Joseph Romain, and James Duplacey. Hockey Chronicle: Year-By-Year History Of
The National Hockey League. Lincolnwood: Publications International, 2007.
Print.
Irvin, Dick.
The Habs: An Oral History Of The Montreal Canadiens, 1940-1980. Toronto:
McClelland and Stewart, 1991. Print.
Irvin,
Dick. My 26 Stanley Cups: Memories of a
Hockey Life. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2001. Print.
Official Site of the National Hockey League | NHL.com. National Hockey League. Web. 1 Apr. 2013. <https://www.nhl.com>.
Podnieks,
Andrew. The Essential Blue & White Book: A Toronto Maple Leafs Factbook.
Vancouver: Greystone, 2001. Print.
Podnieks,
Andrew. The Essential Blue & White Book: A Toronto Maple Leafs Factbook.
Vancouver: Greystone, 2001. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. Web. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 1 Apr. 2013.
Weekes,
Don, and Kerry Banks. Hockey's Top 100: The Game's Greatest Goals.
Vancouver: Greystone, 2010. Print.
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